Total synthesis of natural (-)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin, its unnatural (+)- antipode, (-)-2-depentylperhydrohistrionicotoxin and its (+)-antipode have been achieved. The optical isomers do not show great quantitative differences in frog muscle preparations. A sythesis of (plus or minus)-unalkylated spiroaminoalcohols and (plus or minus)-debutylperhydrohistrionicotoxin has also been achieved.